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Crosby wins NHL's most valuable player award

REUTERS

Tuesday, June 24, 2014
11:41:22 EDT PM

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (29) and center Sidney Crosby (87) celebrate after defeating the New York Rangers in game three of the second round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 5, 2014 in New York, NY, USA. (Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports)

Pittsburgh Penguin Sidney Crosby won his second Hart Trophy as the National Hockey League's most valuable player on Tuesday.

The 2006-07 MVP beat out Anaheim's Ryan Getzlaf and Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers at the league's awards dinner in Las Vegas.

"To the Professional Hockey Writers Association thank you for selecting me, to the Penguins organization, my teammates, our fans, thank you for all your support and to my family I am happy to share this with you guys and appreciate all of the sacrifices you made to allow me to play the game I love everyday," Crosby, 26, said.

Crosby posted 36 goals and a league-leading 68 assists and 104 points, leading the Penguins to their second consecutive division title.

He scored points in 60 of the 80 games he played, including 30 multi-point performances, and never went more than two consecutive games without adding to his tally.

In other major awards, Boston's Tuukka Rask claimed his first Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender.

Rask topped the NHL with seven shutouts, and was second in save percentage (.930), fourth in goals-against average (2.04) and fifth in victories.

Chicago Blackhawk Duncan Keith claimed the Norris Trophy as top defenseman for the second time having previously won in 2009-10.

He led the NHL's defensemen in assists with 55 for the year and was ranked second with 61 points to power a Chicago offense that led the league with 267 goals.

The Calder Trophy for the rookie-of-the-year went to Nathan MacKinnon from the Colorado Avalanche who, at 18, became the youngest recipient of the award.

He led the rookies in points (63), assists (39), power-play goals (eight) and shots (241) and was tied for goals (24) and game-winning goals (five) to receive 130 of 137 first-place votes.

Patrick Roy of the Colorado Avalanche claimed the Jack Adams Award as the best coach after lifting the Avalanche (52-22-8, 112 points) to a historic turnaround in his rookie season.

The team finished third in the overall League standings after placing 29th in 2012-13.